Research by the Financial Times has revealed 12 cabinet ministers and secretaries are now lacking parliamentary permanent secretaries (PPS).

he vacancies exist in the departments of transport, work and pensions, business, international development, the Foreign Office and the Home Office. Multiple vacancies include two in the Department of health, at the Treasury and in the children’s department.

The FT said failure to fill these vacancies provides evidence of low morale within the Labour party.

One former cabinet minister said: “This is what happens when you’re at the fag end of a government. You just run out of people, energy and ideas.”

The role of PPS, although minor, is often seen as the first step in a ministerial career.